A Motivation Hack for Outsmarting Depression

One of the hardest things about depression is breaking the cycle of inactivity. You feel like doing nothing, so you do nothing, which makes you feel worse, and then you end up doing even more nothing. When everything feels like a drag, how do you summon the motivation necessary to do something while also not feeling drained from the attempt? A colleague of mine, Dr. Steve Arcidiacono, came up with a neat solution: the Jumpstart Jar. It takes a small time investment up front, but afterward it lowers the barriers to anti-depressing activity and can get you on an upward spiral instead of a downward spiral.

Here’s how to make one:

1. Find a jar or container. Decorate it as you see fit, but only if you are naturally crafty. I don’t want to turn this step into another burdensome task to avoid!

2. Make a piece of paper or a document with three columns: Physical, Social, and Productive. There are the categories of activity that depression hates. Focus on these for now.

3. Write down 3-5 small things you can do in each category. Make them manageable so it doesn’t feel like too much, but enough that it takes some effort. Here is a free list of ideas!

4. Prepare the jar. Cut up all the items and shuffle them into the jar, and place the jar somewhere prominent where you can’t avoid it!

5. Pull from the jar one “jumpstart” each day when you get home. See if you can get into a routine with it by connecting it to something else you do each day (e.g., taking off shoes, putting away bag, pulling from the jar).

6. Complete the task right away, and move on with your day! Try to notice how you felt after you finished the task, not just how you felt before or during the task. Depression loves to be discouraging, so try to suspend judgement about this activity until you are completely done with it.

7. When the jar gets empty, dump it all back in. Try to add something based on what you learned. Is there something that made you feel especially bright or satisfied, even though it might have been uncomfortable? Add in some more of that! Was there something that just didn’t give you life, even after some reflection? Replace it.

When you turn this little trick into a habit, your brain will slowly get used to little bursts of effort and short-term delays of gratification. This is exactly what we need to start building momentum against depression. Eventually, you can add in more and more meaningful activity, and you can look at the moments you’ve created with a growing sense of pride and purpose.

This technique is not a substitute for therapy, and may not conquer more intense feelings of depression and low motivation. If you need more support, please contact me and we can develop a more comprehensive plan.